Spousal Privilege
by Muffinzelda
Summary: How far will Inspector Lewis go to protect Dr Hobson when she becomes embroiled in the Cotswold Catering Caper? A Robson drama set before series 7 unfolds!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This story is for fan purposes only. The characters are property of their respective owners (not me!) and are used here without permission.

Author Note: This story is meant to be part of my fanfic series _1,001 Nights of Inspector Lewis_ as it is one of the ideas I'd had prior to series 7 when I wondered all the different ways Robbie and Laura might end up together. As the story grew more complicated, I realized that it was eight chapters long and deserved its own publication.

* * *

It was just past midnight and Inspector Robbie Lewis was sleeping soundly. He didn't hear the doorbell until the second or third ring. He leapt out of bed and went to the window. He recognized the car out front. _It can't be. _He thought. Sure enough, the doorbell rang again. He'd been asleep in his keks, so he threw on sweats and ran to the door. As soon as he had the front door open a sliver, a sylph-like ghost quickly slid inside.

Not a ghost, but Dr Laura Hobson in a white scene suit. She was manic; "took you long enough to answer the door! Turn out the lights in front; we don't want to arouse suspicion."

"Are you all right?" Lewis tried to grab hold of her arm, but she flitted off to the kitchen. He had only seen her like this once before, when she was upset about an incompetent colleague and was wielding an unlit cigarette as an indicator of stress level. Lewis was reasonably sure that if she had a cigarette now, it would be lit.

"I've done something terrible. No. No, I haven't. I haven't done anything. But sometimes a sin of omission is just as bad, isn't it?"

"You'd have to ask Hathaway about your sins, love. Tell me what's happened; I won't judge one way or the other."

"That's why I came to you. I just need your advice, Robbie. Then I promise I'll leave. I don't want you implicated in any of this. No one will ever need to know I was here."

"Laura, let's take a deep breath. You're going to pull yourself together and then put the kettle on. I'm going to freshen up, and when I come back, you're going to tell me what's going on."

Ten minutes later, Lewis had dressed (casually, not in a suit, though he'd considered that for a moment) and brushed his teeth, but Hobson didn't notice the difference. She was trying to pour the kettle into the teapot, but her hands were trembling. An aching part of him wanted to take her into his arms, but he was far too restrained to act on that. Lewis instead took the kettle from her and poured the hot water. "Let's have a seat. Tell me what happened."

She sat down at the table with Lewis next to her. "My brother Charlie is visiting from London. He's had problems in the past with alcohol and gambling, but I thought he was clean. He went out tonight, after dinner, ostensibly to visit old friends. He called me about an hour ago saying to meet him immediately. He was upset. He'd found a man to whom he owed considerable debts- murdered. I told him to call the police. I showed up at Cotswold Catering expecting to see SOCOs or someone, but it was just Charlie babbling on about how he didn't do it. I again told him to call the police. I started my initial examination of the body. He'd been tied up and stabbed, but there was no murder weapon in the vicinity. I was engrossed in my own investigation when I heard the door slam. I realized that Charlie was gone. I heard his car drive away- no headlights. I saw nothing. He'd disappeared. And there I was alone with the corpse. I know I should have called the police myself but I panicked. I tidied up to make sure there was no trace of my presence, and I fled too. I drove around not even knowing where I was going, until I realized I was in front of your flat. Please believe me, Robbie, I never would have examined the corpse if I had known that the police were not already en route. I know it was a terrible breech of protocol, but you've got to believe me. I didn't tamper with any evidence, I swear it, Robbie."

"Calm down; I believe you, Laura." He had made the mistake of not believing her once before and he would not make it again. He shuddered to think of that Halloween several years back when she'd been very nearly buried alive because he'd doubted her. Of course she would come to him if she knew something; here she was now, shaking her head in dismay.

"Do you think Charlie did it?"

"I don't think so, but addiction makes people do things they wouldn't ordinarily."

"Laura, do you trust me?"

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't." _Robbie, you're the only one I trust_, she thought.

"I want to help you, but I can't promise you'll be happy with the consequences. Will you let me?" He had his hand on the phone.

"You don't have to get involved, Robbie. I don't want you to jeopardize your career like I have mine. My job…I love my job, it's all I have. I could lose everything." She at last started to weep in earnest.

He put his hand on her shoulder and said, "I'm calling the police. Are you on call tonight?"

She was aware of his touch, but her head was bent in shame and she didn't dare look at him. "No, it's Angus," she said simply, though her internal monologue continued. _I knew you would tell me to do the right thing. 'Inspector Lewis' trusts the system- I wish I did. _

"Good. You're sure there's no trace of you there? And no one saw anything?" She nodded without looking up. She was shocked by what she heard next. "When the police ask you questions, tell them you didn't go inside. You and your brother spoke outside the catering hall. You never went inside; you never saw a corpse; you don't even know if anyone was really murdered; you drove straight here and asked me to call the police. I'll take your statement first, but there will be other detectives tomorrow who will interrogate you to try to trip you up."

She was staring at him now, her wide eyes filled with tears. "I can't ask you to lie for me."

"Don't see the harm, me. Morse did it- lied in court even- to protect a … lady friend. He said she killed someone in self-defence. That bastard deserved it though, mind you."

"You're not Morse, Robbie." She didn't mean it as a dare, but he looked at her like it was.

"And you didn't kill anyone, Laura." He picked up the phone and started giving orders. "This is Inspector Lewis. I heard rumblings of some suspicious activity going on at Cotswold Catering- possibly a homicide. I want SOCOs there right away. Detective Sergeant Hathaway will be in charge of the investigation. I also need an APW out on Charles Hobson. Any trace of him, call me immediately."

He hung up and started to dial again. He spoke to Laura as he waited for Hathaway to answer. "Sorry 'bout that last part, but it has to be done. If they find him, we'll get to him first so he won't incriminate you." Hobson nodded, grateful that Lewis was taking charge.

"James. Sorry it's late, lad. I need you to go to Cotswold Catering straightaway. Possibly a homicide. I'm busy taking the statement of a…person of interest. You need to investigate the scene thoroughly and take mental notes on everything because first thing tomorrow morning, Innocent is taking us off the case."

Hobson could hear Hathaway start to ask a question, but Lewis hung up rather than answer it.

Lewis felt no ethical dilemma as he prepared Hobson for their interview. As far as he was concerned, he was finally making amends for that traumatic Halloween. She had come to him in her hour of need, and this time, he would protect her no matter what.

The Inspector did, however, feel his internal ethicist arise when he told Hobson to take off her scene suit. The twinge of impropriety that he felt should have been because he was going to launder her suit, but it was actually due to the fact that he quite enjoyed watching her comply.


	2. Chapter 2

Sure enough, at the break of dawn, Hathaway was in Innocent's office. "You're off the case, Hathaway. I need to know everything that Inspector Lewis told you to do last night."

"Lewis gave me an address and told me to investigate a possible homicide. He hung up before I could ask any questions. What's going on, ma'am?"

"Lewis is protecting someone. Surely you know who." Hathaway indicated that he did not. Innocent rolled her eyes and switched to his given name. "Think about it, James."

"There's no one, ma'am, unless… one of his kids? But they wouldn't…"

"Not his kids. It's Hobson, you dolt!"

Hathaway gave a slight chuckle, "I should have known." Then, resuming his typical gravitas, he spoke. "But surely Dr Hobson hasn't killed anyone."

"No, but her brother may have. He allegedly found the body but didn't call police. He called his sister instead. Dr Hobson went to the scene and confronted her brother. He fled. She also failed to call the police and instead went to Inspector Lewis' flat in the middle of the night." She paused. "Are they or aren't they, James?"

"Are they or aren't they, what, ma'am?"

"Sleeping together. Are Lewis and Hobson having a sexual relationship?"

"They aren't."

"Pity. They should be. Apparently, Hobson spent the night at his flat, but Lewis, Boy Scout that he is, made a point of telling me that she slept in the guest room and that no 'funny business' transpired. His words." She sighed.

"James, I want you to listen to Lewis' interview with Hobson and tell me what you think. Has he coached her, told her what to say?" She pulled up the audio file on her computer. They sat there listening to Lewis probing Hobson, hammering away at every detail of her brother's lunatic ravings outside the caterer's, his description and car, and his gambling debts to the proprietor of Cotswold Catering. Lewis was gentle, but thorough. Hathaway and Innocent both felt somewhat like auditory voyeurs listening to the two of them going back and forth, especially when it came to the part of the interview where Lewis asked why Hobson had come to him.

_Lewis: Why didn't you call the police immediately when Charlie fled?_

_Hobson: I don't know; I panicked when he drove off leaving me there. I didn't want to be there alone. I got in my car and started driving._

_Lewis: Where did you go?_

_Hobson: Your flat. It was the safest place I could think of._

_Lewis: Why is that?_

_Hobson: Because you're… you always do the right thing. I knew I could count on you. I trust you._

_Lewis: And you know that may mean that I have to arrest your brother._

_Hobson: Yes. You made that clear. I will cooperate fully with the police. _

Innocent pressed pause. "They're in this together; I can feel it in my bones. I mean, Lewis barely knows how to operate the MP3 recorder, let alone upload the file to our system from a remote location. Does he even have Internet at home? Hobson probably had to show him how to upload the file herself which makes it inadmissible as evidence."

"Lewis is more capable with technology than he lets on, ma'am. And he does have wifi. His daughter set him up with a nice laptop last Christmas so he could skype with his grandson. I don't think there is any evidence of Lewis acting inappropriately, ma'am."

"He should have called _ME_ first, Hathaway. I would have assigned an impartial detective team to the case. You can't be involved in this investigation anymore. Dr Hobson is suspended, and I don't know what to do with Inspector Lewis."

* * *

That same morning, Lewis was pouring coffee when Hobson came into the kitchen. "Just in time. Careful, it's hot." He said as he handed her a cup. He half-expected a peck on the cheek in return but it didn't happen. "Did you sleep all right?"

"As well as can be expected, thanks."

Lewis had asked but he knew the answer already, having peeked into the guest room while she slept. She hadn't stirred even though the hinges squeaked a bit as he opened the door. "Have some breakfast, and then we'll go back to your place for a change of clothes. I promised Innocent I'd bring you in as soon as you're feeling up it."

"How did Innocent take it?"

He snorted a little before responding. "She's mad that I didn't call her first, but I think I smoothed things over the best I could. Look, we're going to go in there all friendly and cooperative. Answer their questions and hopefully they'll let you go home. But if they start to press you, stonewall them and say you need to wait for a solicitor. Promise me, Laura."

"I promise, Robbie. I do have a solicitor friend in London."

"Might be best to give him a call."

"Her." She shook her head at Robbie's old-fashioned assumption.

"Be sure to give me _her_ contact info too, just in case you're detained. You never know."

"Detained? Robbie…" Her lips began to quiver, but she did not break. Lewis braced Hobson with his hands gripping her upper arms.

"We have to cooperate with the police, Laura. If they do decide to detain you, don't panic. I'll see to it that you're released." They stood there, his hands still on her arms though a gulf of air was between them. Their eyes were firmly locked on one another's until Lewis' fixed regard was too intense for Hobson. She lowered her eyes. He took his hand from her arm and brought a finger underneath her chin, lifting it gently to restore their connected gaze. "I promise, Laura."


	3. Chapter 3

Lewis and Hathaway were talking while Hobson was in an interrogation room with Chief Superintendent Innocent herself. Lewis had suggested they take a walk outside of the police station. Once clear of the building, he demanded Hathaway's every impression of the crime scene.

"The murder weapon was a dagger. It was found near the body, looked to be wiped clean. Forensics is checking for prints."

"Stop." _Laura said there was no weapon. _Lewis chose his words carefully. "Was the weapon out of sight? Hard to see in the dark?"

"No, it was obvious. The killer dropped it right next to the body."

_Laura wouldn't miss that._ "Was it so obvious that you think it may have been planted after the murder?"

"What makes you think it was planted, sir?"

"I'll ask the questions." Lewis snapped.

Hathaway now knew that Lewis was indeed covering something up. "You can trust me, sir."

Lewis regretted his earlier tone. "I do, James. Just don't ask any questions. It's for your own good." For as much as Lewis needed Hathaway to be his eyes, he cared too much about Hathaway to corrupt him outright. He should have known though, that Hathaway was all brains and incapable of naively following along as he himself might have followed Morse long ago. "Could the weapon have been planted after the fact?"

"I suppose it's possible." Hathaway hesitated before speaking again. "I think you should tell me everything, sir. As you yourself have said, together we make a half-way decent detective. And if it weren't for you, I'd have quit policing many times over. So you know where my loyalty lies- not with Jean Innocent."

Robbie grunted a little. "Steady, lad; I need you to stay on her good side. One of us should be."

* * *

Hobson sat silently in the interrogation room and waited as she'd been instructed to do. She was quite nervous even though she felt as though she'd acquitted herself well during the interview with Innocent. She'd remained calm and hadn't given anything away. When the Chief Super did return, she told Hobson that she was free to go- but not to leave Oxford. "I'll have uniform drive you home."

"Thanks, but I need to see Inspector Lewis before I leave."

"Inspector Lewis is busy." Innocent said definitively. "I appreciate that you are cooperating with our investigation, but under the circumstances, I can't have you casually hanging around the police station. You need to go home."

Hobson bit her lip and nodded.

* * *

When Lewis and Hathaway returned to the station, they were intercepted by Innocent, who pushed Hathaway aside and marshalled Lewis into her office.

"Is Dr Hobson all right?" was his first question.

"She made a full statement and we have sent her home, but she is not to leave Oxford." Innocent took a deep breath. "I apologise Lewis, but while you've been at work this morning, SOCOs have been to your flat and Dr Hobson's house."

"I see. Find anything of interest?"

"It's not your dirty laundry that interests me, but rather the clean laundry. In with your whites is Dr Hobson's scene suit."

"Ah, yes. She decided to stay at me flat but she didn't have anything to wear to bed. So she slept in a scene suit. She keeps a bag in the car, I think, so she's ready for a call-out. Good pyjamas, I'd imagine, quite roomy."

"Are you sassing me, Lewis?"

"No ma'am. I threw it in with me whites in the morning as a courtesy to me guest."

"She was at the scene of the crime, wasn't she, Lewis?"

"No, ma'am, she told us the truth." The twitch above Lewis' eye did not escape Jean Innocent.

"Or she's a better liar than you are."

"Neither one of us has any reason to lie, ma'am."

"You used a copious amount of bleach in your laundry."

"I always bleach me whites. Isn't that normal?" Innocent glared at him, so he continued to ramble. "Don't know the first thing about laundry, me. Me wife always used to take care of that." Lewis silently apologised to Val for dragging her into this.

Clean laundry proves nothing, and they both knew it. "All right, Lewis." Once he played the hapless widower card, she knew that there was little else she could do to badger him. That did not, however, mean that she believed him. On the contrary, she knew he was concealing something and that he would crumble before a jury. She was annoyed with Lewis, but at the same time she was actually quite sympathetic and made one last personal appeal. "Look, Robbie, I sincerely doubt that our lovely Laura murdered anyone, but if she's corrupted the evidence in any way, I need to know that."

"She hasn't, ma'am. You have my word." Jean Innocent flared her nostrils in frustration.


	4. Chapter 4

That afternoon, Lewis, and Hathaway had snuck out of the station on an "unrelated enquiry" and were sitting in Hobson's kitchen taking advice from Marcella Mowry, Hobson's solicitor friend who'd come up from London.

"For God's sake, Inspector, you've got to control that twitch! Your eyebrow goes every time you say Hobson never went inside." Ms Mowry barked. "You'll be asked these questions under oath!"

Lewis was frustrated with himself. "Honest to a fault, me. But I can't give evidence against Laura."

"If they know you're covering up the truth, it'll make matters worse for her. You'll be charged with perjury yourself, Lewis." Mowry said matter-of-factly. Hobson was feeling horribly guilty that she had involved Lewis and now Hathaway by extension.

"I won't betray her." Lewis answered. Hobson put a hand on Lewis' shoulder and gave him a little squeeze.

"Then you should marry her and invoke spousal privilege. You can't be compelled to testify against your spouse." Mowry's challenge was met by a shocked silence.

Finally, Lewis spoke. "Yeah, one of James' churchy pals can do it." No one was sure if Lewis meant that as a joke, not even Lewis himself. He waited for a reaction.

Hathaway cut the tension in the room. "That's not how the Catholic Church works, sir. Pre-Cana and all that… you'd be better off with a civil service."

"You can't seriously be thinking about marriage!" Hobson finally exclaimed.

Lewis took Hobson's hands, both of them, into his own. "I can't testify against you either." He looked at her intently, and she blinked in disbelief.

"Are you… proposing?"

"If you'll have me…"

Hobson didn't know what to say…

…but Ms Mowry did. "I hate to ruin the moment, but if you two are even remotely considering it, you should go to a Register Office right away because you'd still have to wait 15 days after you give notice of your intent to marry. I advise you to go for it; just go fill out the papers. You don't have to go through with it if you decide it's a bad idea."

Mowry paused to let the idea settle in as Lewis and Hobson continued to scan each other's faces. The solicitor continued, turning to the young sergeant, "Your friend Hathaway here could surreptitiously convince the Chief Superintendent that Laura's alleged evidence tampering is just a mere distraction when she should focus on the real crime of murder. You know, take the pressure off of these two until they can invoke spousal privilege." Turning back to Lewis and Hobson, she said, "Trust me; I'm more of a cynic than a matchmaker. You can always get divorced after the trial if it comes to that."

Lewis disagreed. "No. If we get married, we're going to try to make it work. Not just divorce a month later."

"Marcella, James, can we have a few minutes?" Hobson asked. Hathaway and Mowry stepped through the French doors into the garden. She took a deep breath. "You don't have to do this, Robbie."

"That's right; I don't have to. You don't have to either- no obligation to say yes, I mean- but the offer stands."

"I have to warn you, I am not an easy person to live with."

He chuckled. "I've known you nearly twenty years. I know what I'm getting into; you'll pitch a fit every time I put the biscuits in the wrong cupboard. But you know all me flaws too, Laura- me history, me moods... not to mention me kids. So you'll have to decide if you can put up with an old fool like me." He exhaled, wishing he was doing a better job of selling himself. "Living together would be an adjustment for both of us, but we wouldn't have to move in all at once. I just renewed the let on me flat for another year."

She realized that he was right about knowing each other so well. "I can handle you chewing garlic bread with your mouth open and your reticence to see a dentist." She teased. "But..." She pondered how to qualify her earlier thought: they knew each other in every way- except what Hathaway might call the biblical sense. She wondered if Lewis was finally ready to enjoy the pleasures of the flesh he'd been denied since his wife's passing. "But you said we would try to make it work- like a real marriage. Does that include a physical relationship, Robbie?"

An impish glimmer appeared in his eyes, followed by a grin. "Heh, that's the best part, Laura." Hobson responded with a naughty look of her own, and then stood up to draw the curtains over the French doors. She turned back to Lewis, still seated at the table.

"We know there's chemistry, but is there a spark?" Hobson took hold of his tie, drew him to his feet and into a kiss. Lewis kissed her back with far more passion than she expected. When they broke apart, he looked proud of himself for taking her breath away.

Hobson was beaming as she said, "I'm starting to think that this is a good idea. Do that again…" Lewis, unbridled at last, took hold of her waist and pulled her tightly against him. Hathaway and Ms Mowry were awkwardly waiting outside for quite some time.

When the pair radiantly emerged from the kitchen into the garden, Lewis and Hobson announced their intentions. Ms Mowry tried to spirit them away to the Register Office post haste, but Lewis suddenly looked grave as he had just remembered something important. "I… need to go home first… for… the proper documentation." Hobson knew exactly what he meant: Val's death certificate. She took him by the arm.

"I'm sorry, Robbie. To remind you…"

"It's just a piece of paper, Laura. Let's get a move on."


	5. Chapter 5

The next two weeks were best described as "hurry up and wait" for Lewis and Hobson who longed to tie the knot before they could get into any more trouble. They were living on a roller coaster of the developments of the case as they continued to unfold. With each new twist, Hobson had to return to the station to answer questions, and each time Lewis was afraid that he would lose her.

Charlie Hobson's car had been found in a parking lot across the street from Cotswold Catering. Laura Hobson had stated that her brother drove off leaving her in the dust, so why was the car found so close? Innocent was displeased by the inconsistency.

Next, Charlie Hobson's laptop, confiscated from Laura Hobson's house, had revealed that he had recently ended an affair with the murder victim's wife, Olivia O'Grady. This was seen as motive. Dr Hobson truly had no idea that the affair had been going on, but Innocent was unconvinced.

When questioned about Charlie Hobson, Olivia O'Grady suggested to police that he was very capable of murder. Regarding his car being found so close to the scene, Mrs O'Grady came right out and implicated Dr Hobson. "Charlie realized what he'd done and probably called his sister for help, don't you think? She would have come pick him up and help him escape. She's the one you should be questioning."

"We're not interested in your hypothetical assumptions, Mrs O'Grady," was the officer's terse reply, but everyone involved knew that this intensified the pressure on Dr Hobson.

The forensics report stated that the dagger had been wiped clean, except for the prints, which predictably enough did belong to Charlie Hobson. "Who wipes a murder weapon clean of blood but leaves the weapon conveniently next to the body, forgetting to wipe the prints?" Hathaway asked.

"Someone who is framing someone else." Lewis answered. Lewis and Hathaway were secretly looking into Mrs O'Grady's motives, though Innocent had ordered them as far away from the case as possible. She assigned them to responding to all sorts of sundry complaints of little consequence in Oxford. "She might as well have us on traffic duty." Lewis moaned, though he really wasn't complaining because he suspected that Innocent was thus allowing him to avoid more formal questioning about Hobson.

Finally, one of the developments in the case brought some good news to the Hobson family. Dr Angus Rawbone had finished the post-mortem, and the time of death was several hours earlier than the Hobsons had found the corpse. It took a few days, but Laura was able to prove her alibi. She and Charlie were positively identified by the wait-staff of the pub where they'd had an early dinner- a nice long meal- during the window of time for the murder. Laura was a regular there and the servers remembered her introducing her brother. This was further corroborated by the CCTV outside the pub.

Dr Hobson breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still filled with anxiety. Even though he was no longer a suspect, her brother Charlie had not emerged from hiding. Dr Hobson suspected foul play. She was still suspended from work for the duration of the investigation, pending a hearing concerning her actions the night of the murder.

Though neither one of them wanted a big do, Lewis encouraged her to fixate on the upcoming nuptials so that she didn't obsessively worry about her missing brother or losing her job. She killed time shopping for a dress and more importantly clearing out a closet for Lewis at her house. He had yet to spend the night, though he came over each night after work for dinner. She even cooked! She waited all day for the moment when he would turn up on her doorstep. Maybe she was just bored out of her mind without a job to go to, or maybe she was falling deeper in love than she'd ever been before.

The unlikely fiancés were easing their way into the affection they truly felt for each other. Each night after work, he would greet her with a simple kiss and he would fill her in on what he'd heard at the station that day. They'd eat and clean up, then take a walk holding hands and spend some time snuggling on the couch. He'd missed this routine for far too long.

That kind of stability was all new to Hobson though; she wasn't used to depending on anyone for anything. When the weight of the case was too much though, she inevitably broke down. "I'm sorry to be blubbering on like this. I don't want you to think of me as weak…" Lewis was finally able to comfort her the way he wanted to when she first rang his doorbell- by taking her into his arms and letting his hands wander where they would.

"Nonsense, love." He whispered as he stroked her hair. "You're the strongest person I know." He wasn't just placating her; she knew that he was sincere. He restored her confidence, and her hands became quite busy themselves.

They discussed rings: she'd wear her mother's; he'd wear his own. It was comfortable, after all, and it had brought him luck the last time. Hobson didn't object. He decided not to tell his kids- too much explaining, he said- though he promised to tell them once he and Hobson were married. That worried her a bit, but she respected his decision.

Every night before he left, they still gave each other the "are you sure this is a good idea?" chance to back out, until the day before the wedding. They parted company in the early afternoon as each had things to do to get ready. "Meet me tomorrow on that bridge we like- the one with the swans," she said.

He rolled his eyes at her romantic notion. "You and your bloody swans…"

"Well, it'd be nice to get some pictures before we go to the Register Office and I mess up my make up."

"No tears, Laura; a wedding should be happy."

"Who said I'd mess up my make-up by crying?" And with that, she kissed him ferociously, starting at his lips before sucking and nibbling her way to his ear. "See you tomorrow at ten, Robbie." She whispered.

"I'll be there, love." And he kissed her good-bye one last time.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day, Laura Hobson was waiting on the bridge and fidgeting with her handbag. She was wearing a sheath-like lavender dress with cap sleeves. The swans floated by right on cue at ten in the morning. Swans, yes. Robbie Lewis, no. When ten-fifteen had come and gone she was getting worried that something had happened; her heart sank when she saw Hathaway instead of Lewis approaching the bridge. "Sorry, I'm late, Doctor."

"He's not coming, is he, James?"

Hathaway shook his head.

"I always knew that I would never marry." She closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened her eyes, Hathaway revealed the half-dozen white roses he'd been carrying behind his back.

Hathaway handed her the bouquet and a train ticket. "The other half-dozen roses are in Manchester. Lewis wants you to know that the marriage proposal still stands no matter what."

"Lyn. He went to tell Lyn." Hobson surmised.

"I gather that she rang yesterday and dragged it out of him. He made a giant cock up of it trying to explain over the phone, so he drove up there to get it sorted. He wants you to join him."

"But I'm not supposed to leave Oxford."

"I talked to Innocent, and it's OK as long as you are back on Monday. My instructions are to take you to your house to pack a bag, stop by his flat to pick up a suit, and take you to the train. That is, if you'll still have him."

She gripped the side of the bridge tightly for support as she bent her head towards the river. "I need to talk to him first." Hathaway pulled out his phone and dialled.

"Hello, sir; you don't know what you're missing here. There are swans and she's got a lovely frock and everything…"

"Just give me the phone, James." Hobson said.

"Robbie! Why didn't you just call me? You can't start our married life together by disappearing without telling me!"

"I'm sorry, love. I didn't want you to think that I had gotten cold feet."

"And Lyn? Dare I ask if we have her blessing?"

"She thinks that I've gone completely mad. But she can see that you make me happy, and that makes her happy too. She's just concerned that it's so fast, and I don't even know what kind of cake you like."

"Cake? Her dad's marrying a person of interest in a murder enquiry and she's worried about cake?"

"Yeah, I had to negotiate a little. Our Lyn said if we agree to get married in Manchester, she'll bake your favourite cake to celebrate you joining the family. Please say that you'll come."

She was silent for a few moments. "Laura? Say something, love."

"Carrot cake, Robbie." She hung up without another word.

* * *

Saturday afternoon, Lewis was waiting for Hobson's train on the platform in Manchester. He was exceptionally nervous, afraid that she wouldn't come after all. He felt a surge of electricity through his veins when he saw the petite blonde alight. He ran to her and threw his arms around her, nearly crushing the six roses he held. "Thank you for understanding, Laura. Our Lyn needs to be there."

"You should have just told her to begin with, you sodding fool." She kissed him before continuing. "But I feel better about proceeding knowing that Lyn is behind us too. What about your son?"

"We agreed it'd be best for Lyn to tell him, and then we'll all talk. We haven't really seen eye to eye on anything since his mum passed. He's not going to take it well, but I promise I won't keep us a secret for long." She gave his hand a squeeze as he led her towards the car.

They arrived at Lyn's home to find an array of smiling faces and a carrot cake cooling on the counter. Lyn gave Hobson a hug and welcomed her in. "Dad's talked about you for years. I always hoped that one day we'd actually get to meet, but I never thought it would be quite like this!"

"Likewise, Lyn. Thank you for your support. It means a lot to both of us." Lewis nodded in agreement.

Over dinner, Lyn had many, many questions for Hobson- from her childhood to her voting record- though she tactfully avoided the murder enquiry. It was clear that Lyn had grown up the daughter of a detective; she had a way of artfully disarming her future step-mother so that Hobson opened up. Eventually, Lewis cut her off, making a bad joke about the "Lynquisition." As he now commanded the table's attention, he added, "how 'bout we have at that cake, pet?"

"No, dad," Lyn said with a gleam in her eye, "you have to wait until you're married."

Lewis looked bashful. He turned to his fiancée. "Speaking of which, Laura, erm, our Lyn made up the guest room for us. But if you prefer, I can kip in the bairn's room tonight. I mean, in case you're superstitious."

Laura laughed. "Robbie, we're getting married tomorrow. I think that we can share a bed. I have to warn you though, if you snore, the wedding is off."

"The marriage is doomed, then." Lyn interjected. "Dad has a second job in his sleep as a lumberjack with a chainsaw."

"It's not that bad!" Lewis protested.

"Well, if you two survive the night, we'll head to City Hall tomorrow morning, go out for lunch, then come back here for cake," Lyn said. Her partner Tim was a financier and well-connected in the city. He had arranged for a judge to officiate the marriage Sunday morning.

A little later, Lewis watched from the bed as Hobson entered the guest room in her pyjamas. She started to remove her earrings to put on the dresser. She met his gaze. "I was going to wear something a little more… exciting… for our first night together, but seeing how as we're at your daughter's house I thought it best to stick to more traditional sleepwear."

"You look perfect to me. Come to bed, lass. I've been looking forward to this pyjama party for quite some time." Crawling into bed with each other for the first time, he said to her, "I want you to know that, even though the circumstances are not what either one of us would have wanted, I am happy about this. I want to marry you, Laura Hobson. I hope I'm not just taking advantage of your troubles for me own gain. I'll be a good husband; I'll do anything I can to make you happy."

"Then I'm the luckiest woman in the world, Robert Lewis. I want to marry you too, and if anyone is taking advantage, it's me! I can never thank you enough for everything you've done for me these past few weeks. I never thought I'd admit to needing someone in my life, but now that you're mine, I don't know how I ever lived without you."

"That's just it, love, I need to be needed. And now that we're together, I kinda wish we'd figured this out sooner."

"So do I, Robbie. We'll have to make up for lost time." He leaned onto her and they kissed more deeply as she wrapped a leg around him.

"Tell me what you like, pet…" They whispered about the sensual things they would do tomorrow night as husband and wife- once his daughter wasn't on the other side of a thin wall.


	7. Chapter 7

As they pulled up to City Hall, Hobson spied a familiar face waiting outside, clutching a guitar case. "Lyn's not the only one who needs to be there with us, Robbie." Hobson said. She knew that Hathaway was like a son to Lewis and had told the sergeant when and where to meet them.

"Congratulations, sir!" Hathaway grinned.

"James!" Lewis exclaimed as he clapped Hathaway on the back.

"I had to see this through, sir. To make sure you don't run out on her again," he joked. "Innocent said I could make it a shot-gun wedding if I have to." He held up his guitar case, implying it was concealing a rifle or two. "Innocent tries to be tough, but I honestly think that she was getting a little weepy thinking about you two tying the knot. She told me she wants to see pictures."

Lewis and Hobson had a simple civil ceremony with Lyn and Hathaway to sign as their witnesses. The happy couple and their entourage made their way to a quiet restaurant for lunch, followed by carrot cake and a bottle of champagne back at Lyn's house. The ever-private Hathaway even let go of his inhibitions enough to grace them with an original song. "Sorry it's not Barry Manilow, sir," he said as he began to strum his guitar.

"I hate Barry Manilow." Lewis and Hobson said in unison, then looked at each other and giggled. Lewis stood up and pulled Hobson along with him to dance, there in Lyn's living room, to the sound of Hathaway's ballad. Lyn exchanged a knowing glance with her partner Tim as she watched her dad and his bride sway together. Lyn's two-year-old son soon realized that he was not the centre of attention and toddled over to the newlyweds, hugging Lewis' leg to dance with them. Lewis scooped up the wee lad; Hobson put her arms around both of them and they continued to dance.

All too soon, it was time to go back to Oxford. Lewis was emotional saying good-bye to his daughter. "Thanks for everything, pet. You've been wonderful to your old man."

"You're welcome, dad." They embraced; then Lyn turned to her dad's new wife. "Take care of him, Laura."

"I will, Lyn."

Tim liked Hobson- a lot- not just because she was spunky but because he realized that his Lyn would worry less about her dad knowing that he had someone in his life. "Before you go," Tim spoke up, "Lyn and I do have one more gift for you. You should have a honeymoon even if the bride can't leave Oxford. There'll be a bottle of champagne waiting in your room at the Randolph tonight. And room-service for breakfast tomorrow… since we know you'll have worked up an appetite."

"Tim!" Lyn gasped. Hobson blushed, and Lewis stammered in thanks.

* * *

Sunrise in Oxford found Lewis and Hobson at the Randolph Hotel, passed out from passionate satiety, arms and legs still tangled up under the sheets. Lewis awoke first and started to gently run his fingers through her hair. Hobson began to stir. "Sorry to wake you, love; just needed to remind meself that you're really here and this isn't a dream."

"Mmm?" She moaned and began to manipulate his chest hair.

"How many cases have we investigated here, Laura? And I always thought, 'how posh! I'd never stay here.' And it never even once crossed me mind that I might wake up here with a beautiful blonde in me bed."

She laughed, kissed him, and pressed her tiny left hand to his larger one, matching them at the point where their rings touched before entwining their left hands. "Is this real enough for you?"

"Aye, lass. But I think we could use another demonstration." It may have been a whirlwind engagement, but they'd been together for so many years already that their coupling felt inherently natural to both of them. They savoured each moment in each other's embrace before they had to leave the Randolph and face the looming reality.


	8. Chapter 8

One year later, Lewis and Hobson were tripping over the boxes that they still hadn't unpacked from Lewis moving into the Hobson homestead one month prior. He'd spent most of the year there anyway, but now they had combined and consolidated their furniture and other possessions. This had been a difficult year for them, filled with change, but they remained resilient, strengthened by each other.

Olivia O'Grady had indeed murdered her husband. Charlie Hobson had left the scene of the murder and driven straight to Olivia, who then murdered him too. She then drove his car back to the scene and planted the murder weapon. Charlie's body was found buried in the woods several months later.

While Hobson had been able to meet Lewis' family at their wedding, he had to meet her extended relations at her brother's funeral. Lewis held Hobson tightly to him as her curious relations whispered and the rumours swirled about her role in the tragedy. _He's not her husband but her bodyguard… she needs police protection… there was a cover up… she'd never marry unless he was blackmailing her… _all sorts of malicious tales were told behind their backs. When it came to dealing with her own family, Hobson longed to be at Lyn's table again, facing things honestly and openly with the Lewises.

Work- not family- had always been Hobson's anchor, so it had been even tougher to face those rumours at Oxfordshire CID. Lewis and Hobson had collectively garnered enough respect over the years, though, that a few well-chosen (Morsean, even) words from Lewis put the more impertinent in their place. Dr Hobson missed a lot of work due to her suspension; NHS eventually reassigned her to a hospital pathology lab for the duration. It wasn't as much that she hated the hospital as much as she missed forensics. She had more regular hours now, but every time Lewis got a late night call out, she was secretly envious. Even though Lewis reminded her that she was helping the living now, the cases she treated were nameless samples in test tubes and petri dishes. She longed to know the end results from the oncologists and toxicologists whose samples she examined, but she was probably better off not knowing. That was the comforting thing about forensics: her clients' fate didn't hang in the balance because that die had already been cast.

Hobson therefore shifted away from work to a new anchor- her loving husband. Lewis stood by her throughout the inevitable inquest into her alleged evidence tampering. Olivia O'Grady testified that Charlie had called his sister who had indeed investigated the scene, thus jeopardizing her career. Fortunately, Hobson's solicitor Marcella Mowry was able to dismiss the testimony as hearsay; and as O'Grady had lied about so many other things over the course of the investigation, she was hardly considered a credible witness. Lewis did not have to testify against his wife, and Dr Hobson was eventually able to return to forensics.

One year to the day after their wedding, they came home from their respective jobs and uncorked a bottle of champagne. "Happy anniversary, love." Lewis' knee made a popping sound as he knelt before her and pulled a diamond ring from his trousers pocket. "This is the engagement ring that I didn't get you a year ago. I'm afraid it's too late for you to say no, though. Can't trade me in for a younger model now."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Robbie. I love you with all my heart." Hobson's eyes filled with tears as he slid the ring on her finger.

"I love you too, lass. Now help me up so that I can kiss you proper." She pulled him to his feet and he swept her into his arms.

A few minutes later, she broke away and went to get a piece of paper. "I have an anniversary present for you too." She handed him a print out of a travel itinerary. "Plane tickets to Australia. Two weeks. One week to spend with your son, one week just for us."

Lewis was speechless. When he recovered, he asked, "Does he know that we're coming?"

"Of course he does! Lyn put us in touch, and we've spoken several times. It's all planned, Robbie."

"Thank you, Laura..." his voice started to break. "...for giving me my life back. When we got married, I thought I was rescuing you, but really, love, I was the one who was broken. You've picked up the pieces and made me whole again."

She had to wipe away her tears. "I'm glad you decided you could share your life with me, family and all. It's our life together, now, and it means more to me than anything in the world."

* * *

On that first anniversary, Laura's cynical lawyer friend Marcella Mowry called up to see if they were still married. "Yes," Laura responded. "As dreadful as this mess started out, I came to know that Robbie is the love of my life." Mowry couldn't believe that such happiness could grow from such adversity, yet Lewis and Hobson proved that to be the case. Although their marriage started as a simple case of spousal privilege, they found those privileges to be endless.

* * *

Author Note: Some stories are special, and I really enjoyed writing this one. Thank you for reading and for your kind reviews.


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